Maharashtra invites Tesla after Elon Musk hints India entry in 2021

Maharashtra tourism and environment minister Aaditya Thackeray said he has invited Elon Musk's Tesla, the US electric-car maker, to the state. Taking to Twitter, the Shiv Sena leader said he and industries minister Subhash Desai held a video call with Tesla executives to invite them to the state.

"This evening I had the opportunity to participate in a video call by Industries Minister@Subhash_Desai ji with @Tesla team to invite them to Maharashtra. I was present not because of just the investment but my firm belief in electric mobility & sustainability," Aditya Thackeray tweeted.

Thackeray further said that Maharashtra govt is "firmly committed to policy building and changes for sustainable development."

"We are firmly committed to policy building and changes for sustainable development and I personally believe that electric mobility, supported by renewable energy is the way ahead. Let’s hope we can help this thought become mainstream soon," read his tweet

Earlier this month, Elon Musk had indicated that the company could make a foray into India in 2021. "Next year for sure" Musk had said on Twitter in reply to a post with a photograph of a T-shirt with the message: "India wants Tesla".

"Thanks for waiting," Musk said. He was replying to a tweet from a Twitter handle called Tesla India Club, which told the billionaire, "Hey Elon , just thought we'd put this out here. We wait and hang on to hope wrt "hopefully soon" for India Tesla entry. Would love to hear of any progress in this regard."

Tesla's entry into India could come at a time when Prime Minister Narendra Modi is increasingly focusing on promoting the use of electric vehicles.